Hello all,

I had my consultation today. I was told stage 4. If I only do chemo then I am looking at two years.

If I go to one of the best Head and Neck facilities and do clinical trials I maybe looking at longer and doctors goal of 20 years till he retires. I was offered Mayo and anderson in houston but that is too far to travel financially and to long to be away from the kids. So we are going to Ohio Stat University where my Oncologist studied.

So after that we will no how often chemo plus the other medicines that are not fda approved.

Thanks,

Pam C.

Well Pam,

Its not the best news in the world, but twenty years is great. there is alot they can still do by the sounds of it and your still young and fit!

Hagg and Cathy, yes I agree there are some amazing aspects to the NHS, but you would have to be blind not to see its faults. And I do think there is an endemic problem with the NHS, the care is no longer there. We have the science but not the care from nursing staff.

I also work in the NHS, well im training to be a nurse, and im determined I will use my knowledge as someone on the patient side to treat patients in the best way.

And as for social justice, money talks Cathy we all know that one. I must say I dont think we should discuss this further here its not fair on the lovely Pam.

Oliver.x

Dear Pam,

I can't imagine what going through all this must be like for you. Hopefully Ohio have some promising trials going on.

My thoughts are with you and your family.

Warmly,

Cathy

Dear Pam,

Not everything is bad news. A T4 sounds scary, but you have 20 years ahead of you in which new discoveries to fight cancer will be made.
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Shoshana

Hi Pam, my thoughts are with you and your family, keep on fighting and take care. Hagg.

Hi all just an update saw my Ent he was told by my oncologist that it had spread to my lungs. He also informed me why surgery is not an option. It has spread to few different areas in the lungs so they would have to work on more than one area and lung drs don't like that if it was just one upper lobe they would do so. But I go to James cancer center at Ohio State University next monday! Wish me luck!

Pam

Best of luck Pam,

I'll be thinking of you and rooting for you.

Mimi

Likewise Pam, ggod luck. Hagg.

Hi Pam
I'm sending every positive vibe I can muster. Try to catch them. I hope they help to give you strength and reassurance.
Thinking of you from all the way down here.
Love
Deborah

Hi Mom of two boys:

Congratulations! Your speech will return to you gradually and the slur will disappear. Good luck with radiation.
All the best to you

Shoshana

Well guys to day is my one year anniversary since 1/3 of my tongue was removed and my neck dissection! Whoo!

Now just to get thru my new bump in the road.

Pam

Hi Pam
I bet this time last year you felt you were facing an insurmountable obstacle and look how well you did!
Take the strength you know you now have with you into this next stage of the battle. You can do it.
Go girl.
Love
Deborah

Went to Ohio State. Wasn't really impressed a whole lot. She acted like lets do surgery even though it is only a five percent chance of a cure. then we will talk chemo and a clinical trial.

My oncologist is now re thinking why he sent me there in the first place. So he is sending me to a local surgeon to discuss the surgery. It would be a wedge ressection where they would take wedges out where the tumors are. Anyone had this done or know anyone who has? Need your alls input on this ?

Thanks

Pam

Hi Pam

Congrats on making it a year.

I'm sorry that you had a bad time at OSU.

Is your oncologist going to work with this new surgeon? Continuity of care is so very important. I've never heard of such an operation, but, then again I've never known anyone who's had lung cancer.

Keeping you in my prayers.

Julia

Oh Pam, honey!

I'm hurtin' for you right now. In a previous post you wrote, "I was offered Mayo and anderson in houston but that is too far to travel financially and to long to be away from the kids."

Pardon me for giving what may be unwanted advice, but Pam! Money and a temporary inconvenience to your beautiful boys shouldn't prevent you from the expert care you require. Bankruptcy lasts only a few years and you can start all over; kids are resilient and will grow up to live with the Mom who tried so hard and won. Go for it Pam - go to MD Anderson and get taken care of by the very best. When life is on the line we should never settle for less than best.

Think about it.

Much love to you - I have an inkling of what you're going through and I wish you the best of luck and good medicine, doctors and technology.

Mimi